Niklaus Brantschen
Encyclopedia
Niklaus Brantschen is a Swiss
Jesuit, Zen master
of the White Plum Sangha line and founder of the Lassalle-Institute within the Lassalle-House in Bad Schönbrunn/Zug
, Canton of Zug
. He is co-initiator of the Jerusalem-Project
.
22-year-old he joined the Society of Jesus
. After the novitiate
in Villars-sur-Glâne
he received the licentiate
of the Munich University of Philosophy
in 1964. As practical studies he worked in 1964-67 as an educator at the Stella Matutina (Jesuit school)
in Feldkirch
/Austria followed by three years of theology studies at the university of Fourvière/Lyons (France) and a fourth year at the University of Tübingen, among others from the professors Eberhard Jüngel
, Jürgen Moltmann
, Walter Kasper, Hans Küng
; Licentiate work about Dietrich Bonhoeffer
. In 1970 he celebrated his first Mass (liturgy)
in Randa. From 1973 he made a certificate study
in adult's education in Munich as assistant of meditation teacher Klemens Tilmann, followed by meditation courses with Karlfried Graf Dürckheim
.
studies in Kamakura, Kanagawa
/Japan with Hugo Makibi Enomiya-Lassalle
and Yamada Kôun Roshi
. There, meetings with Heinrich Dumoulin
, Jerry Brown
, Willigis Jäger
, Johannes Kopp. In 1988 he was given the teaching competence for Zen by Yamada Roshi, in 1999 he received the confirmation of a Zen master
("inka shōmei") from Tetsugen Bernard Glassman
.
1986 Brantschen met Jerry Brown
in Japan and held inspiring conversations, 1987 he practised Zen together also with him.
, until 1987 he was its manager. For the next five years he worked as a student minister at different colleges in Zürich
. In 1993 he positioned the educational institution Bad Schönbrunn new as a centre for spirituality
and social consciousness
and renamed it Lassalle-Haus. In 1995, together with Pia Gyger
, he founded the Lassalle-Institut, an institution in the fields of Zen
, ethics
and leadership
, which they both led until 2002. Within the institute both are involved especially in the project Jerusalem – Open town for learning of the peace in the world
which leads them regularly to Jerusalem and to the UN in New York.
and Zen-practice, which for him have formed a synthesis during the years.
The practice of Zen is a way to remove the barriers between religions, nations and races – to create a united humanity.
. For him „humanity is like a bird with both wings like man and woman. If a wing is not equally developed, we do have a banking bird which cannot make his way.“
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
Jesuit, Zen master
Zen master
Zen master is an umbrella title sometimes used to refer to an individual who has been recognized by an authorized Zen lineage holder and teacher as having met his or her own teacher's standards of realization or insight. These standards vary widely in different traditions, and may vary among...
of the White Plum Sangha line and founder of the Lassalle-Institute within the Lassalle-House in Bad Schönbrunn/Zug
Zug
Zug , is a German-speaking city in Switzerland. The name ‘Zug’ originates from fishing vocabulary; in the Middle Ages it referred to the right to ‘pull up’ fishing nets and hence to the right to fish.The city of Zug is located in the Canton of Zug and is its capital...
, Canton of Zug
Canton of Zug
The Canton of Zug is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. It is located in central Switzerland and its capital is Zug. With 239 km² the canton is one of the smallest of the cantons in terms of area. It is not subdivided into districts.- History :The earlier history of the canton is...
. He is co-initiator of the Jerusalem-Project
Jerusalem-Project
The Jerusalem-Project is a Swiss-Israeli-Palestinian initiative for the creation of new, unexpected perspectives, which should create a Win-win situation for Israelis and Palestinians...
.
Early life
Niklaus Brantschen grew up with six brothers and sisters in a traditionally Catholic family; he is a skilled mountaineer.22-year-old he joined the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
. After the novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
in Villars-sur-Glâne
Villars-sur-Glâne
Villars-sur-Glâne is a municipality in the district of Sarine in the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland.-External links:*...
he received the licentiate
Licentiate
Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to...
of the Munich University of Philosophy
Munich University of Philosophy
Hochschule für Philosophie is a small Jesuit university in Munich, Germany with about 600 students.Founded as a seminary at Pullach in 1925, first named the Berchmanskolleg, it obtained the ability to issue a doctorate in 1932. In 1971 the school moved to central Munich and opened to non-Jesuit...
in 1964. As practical studies he worked in 1964-67 as an educator at the Stella Matutina (Jesuit school)
Stella Matutina (Jesuit school)
Stella Matutina in Feldkirch, Austria, was a Jesuit school from 1651–1773 and from 1856-1979.- Short history:The “Kolleg” began in 1649 but opened formally in 1651. In 1773, when Pope Clement XIV discontinued the order of the Society of Jesus, the school closed...
in Feldkirch
Feldkirch
Feldkirch can refer to:In Austria:* Feldkirch, Vorarlberg, a medieval city and capital of an administrative district* Feldkirch , an administrative division of VorarlbergIn France:* Feldkirch, Haut-Rhin, a commune in France....
/Austria followed by three years of theology studies at the university of Fourvière/Lyons (France) and a fourth year at the University of Tübingen, among others from the professors Eberhard Jüngel
Eberhard Jüngel
Eberhard Jüngel is a German Lutheran theologian. He is also Emeritus Professor of Systematic Theology and the Philosophy of Religion at the Faculty of Evangelical Theology of the University of Tübingen....
, Jürgen Moltmann
Jürgen Moltmann
Jürgen Moltmann is a German Reformed theologian. The 2000 recipient of the Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion.-Moltmann's Youth:...
, Walter Kasper, Hans Küng
Hans Küng
Hans Küng is a Swiss Catholic priest, theologian, and prolific author. Since 1995 he has been President of the Foundation for a Global Ethic . Küng is "a Catholic priest in good standing", but the Vatican has rescinded his authority to teach Catholic theology...
; Licentiate work about Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and martyr. He was a participant in the German resistance movement against Nazism and a founding member of the Confessing Church. He was involved in plans by members of the Abwehr to assassinate Adolf Hitler...
. In 1970 he celebrated his first Mass (liturgy)
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
in Randa. From 1973 he made a certificate study
Certificate of Advanced Study
A Certificate of Advanced Study , also called a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study or a Certificate of Advanced Professional Studies , is a post-Master's academic certificate designed for practitioners who seek a continuing education program to enhance their professional development in areas...
in adult's education in Munich as assistant of meditation teacher Klemens Tilmann, followed by meditation courses with Karlfried Graf Dürckheim
Karlfried Graf Dürckheim
Karl Friedrich Alfred Heinrich Ferdinand Maria Graf Eckbrecht von Dürckheim-Montmartin was a German diplomat, psychotherapist and Zen-Master.-Life and work:Dürckheim was born in Munich...
.
Zen education
From 1976 he made regular education stays for ZenZen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
studies in Kamakura, Kanagawa
Kamakura, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, about south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called .Although Kamakura proper is today rather small, it is often described in history books as a former de facto capital of Japan as the seat of the Shogunate and of the Regency during the...
/Japan with Hugo Makibi Enomiya-Lassalle
Hugo Enomiya-Lassalle
Aiun-ken Hugo Makibi Enomiya-Lassalle was a German Jesuit priest and one of the foremost teachers to embrace both Roman Catholic Christianity and Zen Buddhism.Enomiya-Lassalle joined the Society of Jesus on the 25 april 1919...
and Yamada Kôun Roshi
Yamada Koun
, or Koun Yamada, was the former leader of the Sanbo Kyodan lineage of Zen Buddhism, the Dharma heir of his teacher Yasutani Haku'un Ryoko. Yamada was appointed the leader of the Sanbo Kyodan in 1967, 1970 or 1973 and continued to differentiate the lineage from other Japanese Zen traditions by...
. There, meetings with Heinrich Dumoulin
Heinrich Dumoulin
Heinrich Dumoulin, S.J. was a Jesuit theologian, a widely published author on Zen Buddhism, and a professor of philosophy and history at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan...
, Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
, Willigis Jäger
Willigis Jäger
Willigis Jäger is considered a controversial German Benedictine monk, Zen master in Sanbo Kyodan tradition and mystic.-Books:*Contemplation: A Christian Path...
, Johannes Kopp. In 1988 he was given the teaching competence for Zen by Yamada Roshi, in 1999 he received the confirmation of a Zen master
Zen master
Zen master is an umbrella title sometimes used to refer to an individual who has been recognized by an authorized Zen lineage holder and teacher as having met his or her own teacher's standards of realization or insight. These standards vary widely in different traditions, and may vary among...
("inka shōmei") from Tetsugen Bernard Glassman
Tetsugen Bernard Glassman
Bernie Glassman , aka Tetsugen Bernard Glassman, is an American Zen Buddhist roshi and co-founder of the Zen Peacemakers , an organization established in 1996 with his late wife Sandra Jishu Holmes...
.
1986 Brantschen met Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
in Japan and held inspiring conversations, 1987 he practised Zen together also with him.
Other activities
Between 1973 and 1977, Brantschen was assistant manager of the educational institution Bad Schönbrunn near MenzingenMenzingen
Menzingen is a municipality in the canton of Zug in Switzerland.-Geography:Menzingen has an area, , of . Of this area, 62.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 28.3% is forested...
, until 1987 he was its manager. For the next five years he worked as a student minister at different colleges in Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
. In 1993 he positioned the educational institution Bad Schönbrunn new as a centre for spirituality
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
and social consciousness
Social consciousness
Social consciousness is consciousness shared within a society. It can also be defined as social awareness; to be aware of the problems that different societies and communities face on a day-to-day basis; to be conscious of the difficulties and hardships of society.- Theory :Many studies have been...
and renamed it Lassalle-Haus. In 1995, together with Pia Gyger
Pia Gyger
Pia Gyger is a Swiss specialist for special education, psychologist and Zen master of the White Plum Sangha lineage. She is co-founder of the Lassalle-Institute within the Lassalle-House in Bad Schönbrunn/Zug, Canton of Zug. She is co-initiator of the Jerusalem-Project.-Education:Gyger studied...
, he founded the Lassalle-Institut, an institution in the fields of Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
, ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
and leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
, which they both led until 2002. Within the institute both are involved especially in the project Jerusalem – Open town for learning of the peace in the world
Jerusalem-Project
The Jerusalem-Project is a Swiss-Israeli-Palestinian initiative for the creation of new, unexpected perspectives, which should create a Win-win situation for Israelis and Palestinians...
which leads them regularly to Jerusalem and to the UN in New York.
Interfaith dialogue
According to Brantschen there is no alternative to the interfaith dialogue. This concept denotes not only conversation, but also the positive, constructive relations between persons and communities of other religions for the mutual enrichment. „To be religious today calls to be interreligious, not only bilaterally but multilaterally.“Position to the Buddhism
Brantschen considers the dialog with Buddhism as an enriching, but not straight or concluded way between the East and West, which springs up in the suspense between real Zen-experience and imitation of Christ. He sees strong parallels between Christian spiritual exercisesSpiritual Exercises
Spiritual exercises may refer to:* Any spiritual practice dedicated towards increasing one's personal spirituality* Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, a book of spiritual practices of the Roman Catholic Jesuit order...
and Zen-practice, which for him have formed a synthesis during the years.
The practice of Zen is a way to remove the barriers between religions, nations and races – to create a united humanity.
Partnership of man and woman
For Brantschen collaboration in partnership is an important contribution for a necessary global change of consciousness. Something truly new originates only if man and woman live a culture of partnership with equal rightsWomen's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
. For him „humanity is like a bird with both wings like man and woman. If a wing is not equally developed, we do have a banking bird which cannot make his way.“
Judgments
In his characteristic style Brantschen summarizes his judgments in concise sentences:- Only who is unselfish, is really happy.
- Who hangs on his spiritual experiences and wants to preserve them, destroys them and obstructs his way to the new.
- A man is not what he „does“; he is not what he „has“; he is not what he „is“; he is what he loves.
- Ethics, which we mean, founds in the careful percipience of life in all of his forms, in clever judgment and in suitable lasting action for the well-being of all. This is not possible without comprehensive self- and world-experience, without a more profound view of the reality.